With their permission, ICC would like to share the following message directly from the students at Cortland Junior Senior High School who are organizing the “Enough! National School Walk Out”:

“Although the Cortland City School District administration has pulled their support supposedly due to safety concerns, we are committed to following through with the walk out which is planned for 10:00 – 10:17am on Wednesday, March 14th.

FOR STUDENTS: We encourage all fellow students who are comfortable participating to join in a peaceful and silent walk out. Please bring appropriate signs if desired. Please ask your parents to provide you with a note to give the school which says, “Please excuse my child from class at 10:00am on March 14th, 2018.” Please ask your parents to email and call the school board and Superintendent to express their support for the walk out and request the district to be active in providing us security. Please support your peers who choose to stay inside. Please understand this walk out is currently happening against administration’s wishes and the organizers want their fellow students to know they support everyone making their own decisions about whether or not to participate. More details for the event can be found at: https://www.actionnetwork.org/event_campaigns/enough-national-school-walkout

For students who feel most comfortable remaining in the school building during the time of the walk out, we encourage them to use the time to write a letter to their State and Federal Representatives sharing their own concerns and requests regarding the increasing rate of school shootings and to support their peers who make a different choice.

FOR PARENTS: If you want to show your support for the students’ efforts, we ask that you call and email your child’s principal, Superintendent Hoose and the school board to share your support for the walk-out on the 14th. Let them know if you plan to be attendance outside, and write your child a note to give to school that says, “Please excuse my child from class at 10:00 on March 14th, 2018,” and also write a letter to our State and Federal Representatives sharing your concerns and requests regarding the increasing rate of school shootings. Please join them at the walk out if you can. Please be aware that we do not know what the administration’s reaction to the walk out will be but they would love peaceful and silent supporters to join them.

FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS: If you want to show your support for the students’ efforts, also write a letter to our State and Federal Representatives sharing your concerns and requests regarding the increasing rate of school shootings, and please join them at the walk out if you can. Please be aware that we do not know what the administration’s reaction to the walk out will be or whether or not the district will restrict community access to campus but we would love respectful, peaceful and silent supporters to join us. We do ask that if the district bars community members from entering the campus that everyone honor that and just assemble peacefully off property if that happens. Our top priority is a safe and peaceful walkout.